Experts have always suggested cutting back on caffeine if you are trying to conceive or if you are pregnant, but recent studies show that caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb.
According to Sean Ward, professor of physiology and cell biology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant.
Ward and his team studied the fallopian tubes of mice and discovered that caffeine stops eggs from moving freely down the fallopian tubes.
Human eggs are microscopically small, but in order to move down the fallopian tubes and towards the womb with ease, the egg is helped along its way by tiny hair-like projections called cilia. These are assisted by muscle contractions in the fallopian tubes, which move the egg through the tubes and closer to the womb.
Also read: Coffee: A Friend or a Foe?
It is these muscle contractions that help the egg on its journey towards the womb that are inhibited by heavy caffeine intake. Ward says: 'This provides an intriguing explanation as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine."
He added: "As well as potentially helping women who are finding it difficult to get pregnant, a better understanding of the way Fallopian tubes work will help doctors treat pelvic inflammation and sexually transmitted disease more successfully."
Most practitioners will err on the side of caution and tell you to avoid caffeine or cut back on your caffeine intake if you are trying to get pregnant, during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding. Try to limit your coffee consumption to about 300 mg per day (about 2 to 3 cups of coffee). Don't forget caffeine can be found in tea, soft drinks, some headache, cold and flu remedies and chocolate! This doesn't mean avoiding them altogether but it does mean cutting back. If you suffer from caffeine withdrawal symptoms, cut back slowly, or only fill your coffee cup half way with coffee and the other half with milk. Gradually you will be able to cut caffeine out of your diet altogether.
There are steps you should take to cut caffeine out of your diet if you are having any kind of fertility treatment such as IVF.
Evidence shows that caffeine reduces a woman's success rate when using reproductive technology and whilst no one knows why this actually happens, it's likely to be because high levels of caffeine affect your hormone balance that can affect ovulation from happening.
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